Agriculture reaps a healthy crop of New Year Honours

TIRELESS work in the agricultural sector led the chairman of the Smithfield FarmTech Show, James Stobo, to be appointed a CBE in this weeks New Years Honours.

The award comes 13 years after Mr Stobo, who is currently chairman of the Edinburgh-based Moredun Foundation for Animal Health and Welfare, was made an OBE.

Mr Stobo, who farms 311ha (770 acres) of arable with beef cattle and sheep at Berwick-upon-Tweed, has held many posts over the years, including Scottish NFU president and chairman of the Scottish Seed Potato Development Council (1988-95).

Although there were no knighthoods within the agricultural community, the Department of Healths chief medical officer, Prof Kenneth Calman, was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB).

Dealing with food scares

Prof Calman has been heavily involved in dealing with public concern over the BSE issue and other food scares in recent years. The top MAFF award went to grade two officer Charles Cann, who was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB).

Other honours in the farming and food industry included:

CBE James Coverdale, former chairman MAFFs north east regional panel; William Little, former head of laboratory at Unilever Research; Terence Mallinson, services to forestry; Prof Ian Mercer, former chief executive Countryside Council for Wales.